Alphabet Inc. Class C (GOOGL.US) appeals against the monopoly ruling, claiming to have "won fair and square."

Alphabet Inc. Class C parent company Alphabet (GOOGL.US) officially filed an appeal on Friday against the antitrust ruling by a U.S. federal judge, refuting the allegations of illegal monopoly in the online search and related advertising markets, and emphasizing that the company's market position was earned through strength. The case originated in August 2024 when U.S. federal judge Amit Mehta ruled that Alphabet Inc. Class C constituted an illegal monopoly, stating that it illegally suppressed competition by reaching agreements with companies like Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) to pay billions of dollars annually to become the default search engine. In September 2025, Mehta further issued a remedy ruling, requiring Alphabet Inc. Class C to share some search data with competitors including OpenAI to restore market competition. In the appeal brief filed by Alphabet Inc. Class C on Friday, they directly criticized this ruling as "breaking legal boundaries." The company argued that the distribution agreements they signed with device manufacturers and browser developers did not prevent partners from promoting competitors like Microsoft Corporation's Bing, and that market participants simply chose Alphabet Inc. Class C because their product was superior. The lawsuit stated, "Alphabet Inc. Class C won fair and square in the market." The Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Alphabet Inc. Class C, Leigh-Anne Mulholland, stated in a declaration, "We ask the court to overturn this flawed ruling - partners and users have many choices, and they choose Alphabet Inc. Class C because Alphabet Inc. Class C provides the best and most useful search results." Alphabet Inc. Class C is particularly dissatisfied with the remedy measures that require sharing data to assist competitors. The company pointed out that these measures require providing data to generative AI companies that did not exist during the relevant period and were not affected by Alphabet Inc. Class C's actions, as they have already achieved incredible success without relying on Alphabet Inc. Class C. According to the timeline, the U.S. Department of Justice is expected to submit its own argumentative document in July this year. Reports indicate that the government is also appealing the ruling, believing the remedy measures are not strong enough. Previously, the government advocated for broader reforms including the forced sale of the Chrome browser, but this was not supported by Judge Mehta. A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment on the appeal. Now, five years since the initial lawsuit was filed, the battle will move to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. If Alphabet Inc. Class C loses in this appeals court, the case could potentially go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. If the appeals court makes a ruling in favor of Alphabet Inc. Class C, the existing data-sharing and other remedy orders will be overturned.